Last bonfire this past Spring

Some old photos I hadn't gotten around to posting earlier.

I'm done removing or burning stumps for the year.   Burning stumps this past Spring got rid of two small piles of branches laying next to trees.  I also got rid of a branch and wood pile covering a tree stump.  Lastly, I had used most of the branches laying in a pile by themselves.  To get rid of the rest of those branches I had one last bonfire this Spring.

I also burned in the bonfire some smaller soft wood from a nearby partially rotting tree stump.

Last bonfire of the Spring.

What was left a few days later, and after the cattle rubbed in the ashes.

Tree stump 22 bonfire

I thought I was done with tree stump bonfires for the year.  Back when I was burning the last of the weed hay on tree stumps I ran out of hay but had one more stump that looked to be rotting.  I put some branches on the stump but the wood was damp and a fire wouldn't take.  Whatever.  I'll burn the stump next year.

Then when I discovered several stumps need a bit more burning (background smoke in one of the following photos), and I had extra newspaper to start fires with, I started stump 22 on fire.  It would be nice to get rid of the stump as it was short enough to be hidden in tall grass and tall enough that one wouldn't want to drive over it.

The stump wasn't as rotted as I thought.  Part of the stump burnt, and the rest smoldered... slowly.  Cold nights and heavy frosts slowed the soldering down.  Since the weather forecast was for snow on Friday, each day this week I would put more branches on the smoldering stump to get the fire going again. 

I then dug around the stump to expose more of it to the fire to speed things up.

The following four photos show the same fire from four sides.

Still more burning needed.

By Friday, after about a week of burning, the stump was still smoldering, but now it was far enough below ground level that when it stops smoldering I can rebury the stump.

And the forecast for snow on Friday and Saturday?  Didn't happen.  The stump continues to smolder.

Tree stump reburn

Last Saturday, now that rain and snow ended all the tree stump smoldering and settled the ashes, I found three stumps still had parts left unburnt.  For one stump, when I fill the hole in with dirt later I will also use the tractor to pull up and out the unburnt side root.  The other two stumps, I used branches and debris from a tree branch pile I am cleaning up to have a few mini-bonfires to get rid of the rest of those stumps.

I figured I would dig a little dirt away from the stumps.  For one of the stumps I found much more of the stump to burn that I expected.

Stump 17

Normally the amount of paper I had brought has been enough to get the fires going.  Not this time.  The branches and wood were still a little damp. 

Stump 17

I went home to get more paper.  But it was getting to be late afternoon so I planned on waiting until Sunday afternoon when it would be sunnier and warmer to burn the stumps.   But this pile of wood did finally catch fire.  I waited until Sunday to burn the other stump.

Stump 17 the next morning

On Sunday there was still some of the stump left especially a side root at the bottom of the photo.  So I got more wood and lit another fire.

Stump 17

Stump 17

This time the small bonfire finished off most of the stump.  The remainder will get reburied once the stump is done smoldering.

Stump 17

Sunday's bonfire to burn stump 16.

Stump 16

Before and after photos of stump 16.

Tree stumps 20 and 21

A week ago Thursday I used the last of the weed hay to burn five rotting tree stumps.  Here are photos from the last two stumps I burned.

Stump 20

Stump 20

Stump 20 - a few days later

Stump 21

Stump 21

Stump 21 - a few days later

Both stumps

Both stumps as the fire starts

Both stumps a few days later

Tree stumps 17, 18, and 19 bonfires

A week ago Thursday I burnt the last of the weed hay and five rotting tree stumps.  Here are photos from three of those burns.

Stump 17

Stump 17

Stump 17

Stump 17 - some left the next day

Stump 17 - after another small burn still some left.  I'll have to take care of it once the rain quits.

Stump 18

Stump 18

Stump 18 - not much was above ground and not much burned.  But I am done with this stump.

Stump 19

Stump 19

Stump 19 - the next day some stump is left.

Stump 19 - after another small burn the rest of the stump is gone.

All three stumps starting to burn